Directions

Prepare Pastry for a Single-Crust Pie. On a lightly floured surface, use your hands to slightly flatten dough. Roll dough from center to edge into a 12-inch circle. Wrap pastry circle around rolling pin; unroll into a 9-inch pie plate. Ease pastry into pie plate without stretching it. Trim pastry to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold under extra pastry even with edge of plate. Crimp edge as desired. Do not prick pastry.

For filling, in a large bowl, stir together the 1/2 cup sugar and the 1/4 cup flour. Add berries and lemon peel; toss gently to coat. (If using frozen berries, let mixture stand about 45 minutes or until berries are partially thawed but still icy.) Transfer mixture to the pastry-lined pie plate.

For crumb topping, in a medium bowl, stir together the 1/2 cup flour and the 1/3 cup sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in almonds. Sprinkle evenly over filling.

To prevent overbrowning, cover edge of pie with foil. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 25 minutes (or 50 minutes for frozen berries). Remove foil. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes more or until filling is bubbly and topping is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Makes 8 servings.

Tip

* To save time, use half of a 15-ounce package (1 crust) rolled refrigerated unbaked piecrust instead of the homemade pastry. Let stand according to package directions before easing into pie plate.

Tip

Juneberries, Service Berries or Shadbush: The blue-black, round berries, which are red before they ripen, are about 1/4-1/3 inch across, the size of blueberries, which they resemble. They even have the crown-frilled opening on the end away from the fruit stalk. Inside are soft, teardrop-shaped, reddish-brown seeds that have a nutty, almond flavor. Juneberries are a great surprise the first time you try them. With no similar commercial relatives, these delicious berries, related to apples, are quite unique. Although they'd been sold in the marketplace in the past, they're almost completely forgotten today. The fruit has a strong, sweet and penetrating flavor, a little like pears. Make your favorite blueberry muffin recipe using juneberries. It will be different and fantastic. I've made my best cobblers with this fruit. They also make great jam. They contain pectin, so you don't need much thickener.

Pastry for a Single-Crust Pie

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup shortening

1/4 cup butter, cut up

1/4 - 1/3cup ice water

Directions

In a medium bowl, stir together flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in shortening and butter until pieces are pea size. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the ice water over part of the flour mixture; toss gently with a fork. Push moistened dough to side of bowl. Repeat with additional ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time (1/4 to 1/3 cup total), until all of the flour mixture is moistened. Gather mixture into a ball, kneading gently until it holds together.